Old Fishing Tackle

[BobH]

What is it about fishing with Old Fishing Tackle ?

 

I use quite a bit of old fishing tackle, I get pleasure from using it, I suppose I like making fishing difficult for myself by using Old tackle.

 

Is that strange or do others also enjoy using old fishing tackle.

 

Of course it was new when I made a lot of the rods in the 1950tys, but some of the reels I use are new to me, but old in the terms of age !!

 

Bob

Edited November 17, 2014 by BobH

[lyn]

Are we talking old in 10yrs or 100yrs?? I use a shimano for my barbel fishing that must be getting on for 20yrs old and I wouldn't change it. I have quite a few old mitchells that occasionally get an airing as well.

 

lyn

[BobH]

lyn

 

For me it tends to be over 30 years old.

 

Bob

[wotnobivvy]

Use my Mitchell 300s's all the time. I have stopped using cane rods as I got hacked off with the brass ferrules sticking together. I sometimes get my old float box out and use the quill floats

[Tigger]

I have some old'ish rods, from the late 80's, early 90's so not really propper old fishing tackle like yours Bob.

I have one old centrepin that dates back to 1915 so it will be 100yr's next year !....nearly as old as Vagabond (only jokin Dave ).

I've also got some match aerials which I think are from the 70's and an old trudex and rapidex which i'm told are from the 60's.

It is nice to use an item of old tackle, it does give you a good feeling when you use it

[chavender]

no matter how many new reels I get I always go back too my mitchells ,abu 507's etc ,I've also got a couple of reels from the 80's/90's not top of the range things either rather plain things really but they still work well ,I have a old 2lbs tc specialist rod (used too be my eeling rod ,again rather a budget general perpose 11ft rod for carp ,barbel,pike etc ,and I've my old j.wilson avon/quiver rod ,I do have some cane rods but they're fairly recent additions .as are some of my centrepins although I do still have my centrepin from 2000 that set off my obsession .again not particularly a pretty reel or the least bit expensive but I do love it ,I did get rid of it once ,missed it so got it back .I like my older tackle its comfortable too use .

 

I've in the last few years found myself drawn more to using old traditional tackle ,I know carbon rods are better in almost every way .a bit too good ,a little too clinical I fear ,I like the fact I've no idea how cane rods are going to behave ,it does add a little something to my angling ,never quite sure if the cane can handle the fish and its just nice too use.

[Phone]

BobH,

 

One aspect of angling is to "set the rules" for yourself whatever that might be. Within those perimeters "old tackle" is one I enjoy. I'm an old glass freak. Several Fenwick rods from 60's or 70's? I use regularly, some I don't. Some real old stuff sees very limited use with fish safety in mind. I can still clearly see a 4oz bluegill swimming off trailing ten meters of silk line that had developed a rotten spot. MY BAD.

 

As for reels - you are relatively new - most know I use spincast reels. I've got some really oldies but goodies I use regularly.

 

Another thing - when nostalgic I snoop about in the recesses of my "stuff" and NEVER wear modern or use modern. I tell folks it's easier to hear the voices in my tackle box that way (better connection).

 

Phone

[BobH]

I remember seeing CY speaking enthusiastically about a Hardy Altex fixed spool and thought; what a good looking reel it was ?

 

When I actually got hold of the same type of reel, it was a disappointment and not a patch on the Ambidex or Mitchells I had used previously !!

 

Then I managed to purchase an Exalta, in my opinion a much nicer reel, but the line twist is horrendous and it's a bit of a mission to use it, I do but by way of a punishment for my own angling failings

 

Centrepins I have used since I started fishing aged 7 years old, I don't really think about them as old fashion, because they have always been part of my fishing kit, the oldest I have is from the 1940s, I did once have a Witcher, but could not get on with it, so it's something that had to go >?

 

Bob

[Vagabond]

All this talk about these new-fangled split bamboo rods and fixed spool reels with bale arms makes Oi larf

 

I still have, and use from time to time, rods of greenheart, and a Mitchell with a claw pick-up. I have retired my lancewood and hickory rods, but have one or two made from native wood (yggdrasil aka Mountain Ash aka rowan is by far the best )

 

When I started fishing, I was seven years old, penniless, parents against fishing, and tackle virtually unobtainable because there was a war on. Make your own was the only option.

 

Just to illustrate to the disbelieving folks who reckon that kids couldn't possibly make their own gear and catch anything with it other than tiddlers....

 

Here is a rod and reel made by a primary school lad under my tuition, which has caught plenty of tench up to 5lb

 

 

Apologies to all who have seen it before - I usually trot it out when someone asks "Wossa best rod for tench then"

[BobH]

Vagabond

 

I have a couple of Greenheart sea fishing boat rods I still use and at the moment I am doing up a Greenheart Allcocks 3 piece float rod a friend was throwing out.

 

Action wise, it's stiff, through action it is not

 

It's funny, my family did not understand fishing as well, they were out of the East End of London, but moved to Chingford when I was 7 and the boy next doors father started us on a lifetime of fishing.

 

He even showed us a weird way of casting of the spool of a centrepin, long before we had ever heard of the Wallis cast ?

 

Happy days.

 

Bob